Steven Tyler quits American Idol, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson look to be next

Steven Tyler returns to his “first love,” Aerosmith.

Steven Tyler with bandmates Joe Perry, right, and Brad Whitford, left, performing at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on June 27.

By:Debra YeoToronto Star, Published on Thu Jul 12 2012

It could be a clean sweep of the judging panel when American Idol returns for its 12th season.

Steven Tyler announced Thursday that he is leaving the singing competition.

Jennifer Lopez is widely expected to announce her departure soon.

And now Us Weekly says that Randy Jackson, the only original judge on the panel, is on his way out, too.

Us quotes a source who says that Jackson would trade in judging for a mentoring role on the show.

The source also said producers are in “serious talks” to bring Mariah Carey aboard.

Speculation this week has focused on Lopez leaving. She has been dropping hints in talk show appearances, telling Today on Thursday that while she hasn’t made a decision, “I am thinking that maybe it’s time for me to go and do other things that I really love to do.”

But it was Tyler who jumped first.

“After some long . . . hard . . . thoughts . . . I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a news release put out by Fox, which airs the show (CTV carries it in Canada).

“I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back — but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band. The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass — the ultimate in auditory takeover . . .

“On Nov. 6, we are unleashing our new album, Music From Another Dimension, on the Earth, Moon, Mars and way beyond the stars . . . Idol was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it . . . Now it’s time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”

However, the Los Angeles Times, quoting a source, suggested Tyler was given a push out the door and that his option for another year on the show (at a reported $8 million to $10 million) might have been dropped by the network.

Fox said in May there would be a “creative reinvigoration” of Idol for Season 12 but didn’t give details.

Lopez and Tyler both joined Idol in 2011, following the departures of Simon Cowell (who now helms his own show, The X Factor, on Fox and CTV) and Kara DioGuardi.

Original judge Paula Abdul left in 2009 over a salary dispute.

That left just one original on the panel, Jackson, who’s served with Lopez and Tyler for two seasons.

“It’s been a tremendous honour to have Steven — one of the most prolific artists in the world — on American Idol for the past two seasons,” said Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment for the Fox Broadcasting Co., in the news release.

“He’s been a terrific judge, a true friend and great mentor to everyone involved with the show, and we know he’ll continue to be a huge inspiration to Idol hopefuls for years to come. We are very sad that Steven has chosen to focus more on his music, but we always knew when we hired a rock ’n’ roll legend, he would go back to the music. We all wish him all the best and would love to have him back on the show anytime.”

Tyler was a hit when he first joined the panel, with his rock-star flamboyance and quips that often put the show’s censors on alert. But critics quickly tired of the sameness of his pronouncements, in which virtually everyone and everything was “beautiful.”

One wag commenting on the departure on the TVLine.com website joked they were disappointed that Tyler didn’t describe his time on the show as beautiful.

The guessing has already started about possible replacement judges. A recent report said that Adam Lambert, the Season 8 runner-up, was being considered as a judge. And Lambert told a British radio station he’d jump at the chance.

Other names in the mix include Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Fergie, will.i.am and Katy Perry, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Even actor Charlie Sheen’s name has been out there, although it’s likely executive producer Nigel Lythgoe was just having a laugh at TMZ’s expense when he said he’d love to see Sheen on the panel.

Idol’s ratings were down this past season, with the show falling below 20 million viewers for the first time since 2003. The May 23 finale, when Georgia singer Phillip Phillips won the Season 11 title, was Idol’s lowest rated ever, according to the Nielsen Co.

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